How Cloud met the general
by KlikStar
Summary: Cloud's already had a week from hell and now it looks like its about to happen all over again.  Suprisingly it's not Zack or Reno who help him get back up on his feet, but someone else equally as important.  A 4WS saga set before they were a foursome.


Hi. Sorry. I know it's been a while.

I actually wrote this story a couple of weeks ago, but my confidence has been so shot lately that I kept editing it and re-writing bits and even now I'm not sure about posting it. The thing is I really want to get back into writing my current stories and I'm hoping that this gives me the confidence boost to get going again. It's also a bit of a vent for me which is why Cloud ends up having such a sucky time.

Basically this oneshot is like a pre-4WS saga, as in its something which happens before Four way split happens (if that makes sense) and is based on the idea of 'how could Cloud meet the general without Zack's direct involvement?'

Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please don't be too harsh if there's something you don't like.

* * *

><p><span>How <span>Cloud met the general

Have you ever had one of those days, or weeks even, where you really should have just stayed in bed no matter what? The kind where anything and everything that could go wrong already has and just because someone, somewhere out there, really hates you it's not going to get any better any time soon?

Well, Friday had been one of those days for Cloud.

His already overstressed week having consisted of a screwed up timetable, inexplicably missing text books, an unfortunate accident involving his tactics essay which ruined it, torrential rain during every single outdoor exercise they'd been put through that week and, on top of it all, an agonisingly boring mission from hell that he shouldn't have even been on in the first place. In the end the blonde could only conclude that Gaia herself was laughing at him, especially when the most bizarre event of his horrible week concluded with what would later be described as one of the worst experiences of his miserable life to date.

Not that Zack would agree of course.

Oh no, not that overly entertained soldier.

How his ever-loving boyfriend could have found the situation so amusing was completely beyond the cadet's understanding, especially considering the circumstances surrounding it. But oh no, not Zack, the raven haired teen practically pissing himself he'd laughed so hard.

At the time that was.

Not now though, not after he'd found out what they'd done. How they'd topped Cloud's horrendous week off with the biggest freaking metaphorical cherry possible. Except, it hadn't been a cherry. No, instead it had been a chocolate brownie. A sweet, warm, gooey and most definitely not innocent chocolate brownie.

Cloud knew better now though, knew never to trust them or their home baked goods ever again. It was heartbreaking really; soul-crushing if he was honest, because he'd truly loved chocolate brownies until then. They were the rare treat his mum cooked on special occasions like birthdays, the sweet indulgence which was actually a luxury to the only child of a single parent who couldn't afford to splash out what little earnings they had on non-essential items or fancy foods. Not that home baked brownies were fancy food, but still, they were an extravagant item and that made them exempt from the normal everyday meals which were consumed.

Now though these memories were tainted for Cloud, those cherished moments in time spoilt by what they had done. No longer could he think back on the rare occasions when his little home would be filled with the smell of baked goods without feeling his stomach roll, the wistful reminiscent scent leading to a vivid recollection of that sweet chocolaty taste and then straight to instant stomach-churning nausea as it added in new pieces of information about the sickness which had come from the most recent batch to touch his lips. All in all it made the blonde want to cry, not just from the experience itself but from what it had cost him. His dignity and reputation already a mess in this place, so that what he'd said and done made no difference, but his past joy of those chocolaty treats now stained forever by horrible sticky brown smudges of humiliation and even more betrayal by his peers.

Saturday morning had been hard to face when it came, not just from the headache and nausea which still lingered within him, but the fractured memories he had of the night before. Words, images, names, faces, people, places. All of it was blurred together and yet separated into a million pieces. It was like the world's biggest jigsaw puzzle and someone had thrown all the pieces onto the floor and he was expected to put it back together again. Only, no one was kind enough to show him a picture of what he was supposed to be seeing and all the little bits had jagged edges that refused to go together and cut into his head every time he'd tried to force them too hard. In fact, it hadn't been until Sunday afternoon that most of his mental faculties finally began to come back online properly and he was able to pull some of his windswept thoughts back together once more.

Thankfully Reno had been there the whole time, his calm and reassuring presence making up for Zack's uselessness. No, that wasn't fair. Zack hadn't been useless, but he had been an idiot at Cloud's expense and that was something he was going to pay dearly for until the blonde was feeling more forgiving. So what if he'd been all cute and giggly in their company while flying as high as a kite, so what if he'd been so out of his rational mind that he'd started to build himself a little chocobo nest with blankets from the bedroom, so what if he'd lost it completely and started making little squawking noses until one of them had hand fed him some biscuits from the kitchen.

Gaia be dammed, but didn't that show them that something was seriously wrong and not hysterically funny. He was not a chocobo damn it. He did not like being compared to those enormous balls of walking feathers, whatever people said about his hair, and heaven help those who didn't know how much he hated the nickname Zack had given him. He'd only tolerated it because it was said with love. Not now though, not by a long shot. The next person to refer to him as a chocobo in any way was getting a swift kick in the balls, whatever their rank, position in the company or level of power over him. Boyfriends included.

Thankfully the whole ordeal was over with now, the unforgettable experience still a little patchy in his mind but always there with little flashbacks ready to haunt him nevertheless. Unfortunately it also meant that the weekend was over as well, his long awaited two days off from training, studying and duties gone and completely missed for the freedom and opportunities it had held so much promise.

Sighing heavily, and with more than just a hint of apprehension, the blonde turned right and slowly made his way down the last corridor and towards the lecture hall where their first class for the day was being held. Already his chest felt tight and horribly restricted as he tried to breathe calmly, his heart now racing frantically at the idea of having to face his peers again, his mind a mess at knowing what they'd secretly done to him, and his resolve to be strong and ignore their privately amused expressions weakening with each step that drew him closer and closer towards those large wooden doors.

What Cloud hadn't expected when he entered the classroom however was to find the place completely empty, every single desk and chair void of any sign of life at all. For a few seconds the blonde simply stood and looked around himself in bewilderment, his sky blue eyes slowly filling with panic as his mind raced to find a reason for what he was seeing and quickly filling it with unsettling scenarios. The first thought that came to him was that he was still high, that the drug laced brownies were more potent than they'd realised and he was still lost somewhere in his own little world. Except, that couldn't be right or, dare he say it, he'd still be acting like a chocobo. The second idea was that it wasn't Monday after all, but really Sunday. It would certainly explain why nobody else was here, expect that didn't make sense because yesterday he'd spent the afternoon at Zack's getting cuddles from Reno and making the soldier feel guilty for not being more supportive. The next option was that he'd got the times mixed up, making him either really early or super late for the class. Only, the clock on the wall confirmed that it was indeed nine o'clock and unless someone had messed with that too it was technically accurate.

The last and finally idea which popped into Cloud's head was probably the worst by far, the one which made his heart skip and stutter in its beats and had him running back through the corridors as fast as his shaking legs could carry him. Early revelry, an emergency mission call out, an impromptu inspection, hell even a last minute physical evaluation. All these possibilities poured through the blonde's head as he sped blindly past people and property in a mad dash back to his dorm, the punishments for not being present at any one of those events making his already stressed out emotions pass the point of no return. It wasn't fair, Gaia damn it, not fair at all.

Tears leaked uncontrollably from the corners of ocean coloured orbs, the fathomless blue depths finally reaching their limit as well and allowing the hurt, anguish and despair to be seen freely. Cloud felt them break free from the strict confines of his sapphire eyes, felt the warm wet trails slide down over his pale cheeks and cursed himself for being so weak. Wasn't it enough that he'd had a shitty week last week? Wasn't it enough that he'd lost a perfectly good weekend with his lovers through drug induced sickness? Wasn't it enough that the other cadet's had even done that to him, let alone what he'd endured because of it? Wasn't it enough that he was going to suffer horribly for not being where he was supposed to be because he hadn't known?

So lost in his thoughts was the blonde that he didn't notice when he took a wrong turn and instead of taking the second right went left down the corridor, nor did he notice when just ahead of him an office door opened and someone walked out and straight into his path.

To an unenhanced person, or in this case a cadet, running at full speed into a soldier was like running into a brick wall. There was no give in the situation at all, simply a feeling of slamming into something hard before finding yourself bouncing back again and hitting the floor with an equally painful force. It was indescribably really, mainly because no one in their right mind would run into a brick wall. Hell, nobody with a sound mind would run into a soldier either, but apparently it was going to be another one of those days for Cloud. Again.

With the breath squarely knocked out of him, and a horrible pain now radiating through various parts of his body the blonde simple gave up. Clearly this was fates way of telling him that not only was he once again in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that maybe he really shouldn't be here at all and Gaia didn't that hurt. Hurt in a way that really couldn't be compared, in a way that he'd tried so hard to deny and ignore since getting here all those months ago. It was with a heart-crushing tightness in his chest that the cadet remained lying on the floor trying to catch his breath again, the restricting sensation around his ribs only partially due to the bruising force of the impact. Defeat filled the blonde like smoke filled a room, thick and fast and suffocating. He wasn't cut out for this, no matter what Zack or Reno said, and this little incident was the last straw to break the proverbial camel's back.

Unbeknown to Cloud his self-destroying internal monologue was currently being observed by the man he'd run into, a man who stood quietly to one side and for once uncertain of what to do. In truth he'd been caught just as unaware by the cadet barrelling into him as the next man, which in itself was shocking really, and for a moment or two he found himself actually breathing that little bit faster as his, surprisingly, elevated pulse calmed down to a more acceptable rate once more. Thankfully some basic awareness of his surroundings must have remained intact throughout the whole experience, otherwise he'd have acted defensively and the young boy would have been skewered on his sword long before hitting the floor. That would have been a problem. And not just because of all the paper work it would involve.

There was something about this blonde cadet that made the man's insides flutter, a familiarity which caused his heart to skip in its beats once again. Eyes as silver as moonbeams widened at the realisation, their slited pupils instantly darting back down to the crumpled form at his feet. A little ball of blue cadet uniform and vibrant golden spikes all curled up upon itself and clearly weeping desolately into a rather tatty looking book bag, a bag which was currently being held onto like a life line.

In that moment a memory flashes briefly in his mind, a recollection of a conversation held between two others within the sanctum of his office not so long ago.

"_You should see him __Angeal; kid's got the greatest head of gravity defying spikes you'll ever see."_

"_I see them all the time pup." _

_He watches discreetly out the corner of his eye as the two talk, watching almost enviously as a strong hand ruffles raven coloured hair while speaking, finding himself inexplicably jealous of not only the action, but also of the amused expression which is freely shown on a ruggedly handsome face to accompany it._

"_What, hey! __You're ruing the effect." A whining pout is shown, the bright smile in violet eyes shining greater still. "Do you know how long it took me to get it like that this morning?"_

_The question is rhetorical and is therefore treated as such; a deep based, kind-hearted chuckle answers it anyway._

"_At least S__piky doesn't have to worry about getting his hair right," The puppy sighs, pretending to be put out as he attempts to fix his tousled bangs. The action pauses as a thought is seen to go through his head, Sephiroth's own lips lifting slightly at the edges as he practically sees the gears turning inside that random head on the young soldier's shoulders. "Although maybe he has trouble keeping it down."_

"_What?"_

_Thank Gaia Angeal asked, because there was no way he co__uld have done so without letting them know he was not only listening to their conversation, but also extremely interested in Zack's new friend which they had been hearing so much about lately._

"_You know, spiky hair? Always standing up?"_

_A deep sigh escapes__ the raven haired teen and he practically rolls his eyes at his mentor, something which even the legendary general finds amusing. After all, he knows the commander well, has done for many years now, and understands just how much the other must feel for the boy not to smack him up-side the head for doing such a thing._

"_I take it his hair is more … extreme, them yours?"_

"_Hell yea." Zack practically cheers, his laughter is light and bubbly as he finds amusement in what has been said. "Kid looks like he licked his finger and then stuck it into a plug socket."_

_An image swiftly comes to his mind of an electrocuted person, a corpse in essence. The hair indeed standing up but in this case firmly attached to burnt and half-cooked flesh. He shakes his head quickly to dispel the image and in turn instantly draws their combined gaze towards himself, the silver of his hair having shimmered in the horrible office lighting and reflected it at just the right angel to catch their attention._

"_You ok Seph?"_

_It's A__ngeal who asks and though Sephiroth is loath to show weakness in front of others, and dislikes the use of his name shortened in such a way, he notes the commander's concerned tone and wills away the discomfort the question has brought up within him._

"_It's nothing." He replies distantly, almost uncaring or whatever it is that has caused him to react in that way._

_There is a pause in conversation and he knows that Angeal is thinking hard, that the man is weighing up what has been see and heard and deciding on the best course of action. He's grateful beyond words when the man sighs and appears to shrug it off, a lightly spoken "If you say so," filling the uncomfortable void which had started to form around them._

_He ignores them now, or at least tries to. It's getting harder to do that these days, to shut out Zack's presence in his life. There's something about the boy, no, the young man, that __draws him in. A presence which brightens his world and for all its confusion and chaos makes his life more fulfilled in some way. He won't act on it though, not when the young soldier is so important to Angeal, not when his touch will only poison and corrupt that innocent light._

"_Come on pup, we should go before we miss our slot in the VR room." _

"_Oh yea, forgot about that."_

_He doesn't ne__ed to look to know what expression is now on their faces, how Angeal's is a fake look of resigned suffering while his eyes glow with happiness and how Zack's head is bowed a little lower with a sheepish apology on it and his hand is absently scratching the back of his head unconsciously like it always does in moments like these._

_A __humourlessly spoken "come on" heralds their imminent departure and he can't decide if that's a good or bad thing. He'll certainly get more work done without the young soldier around, but at the same time he doesn't want that wonderful feeling that having Angeal's' puppy near brings._

"_You know, come to __think about it." Zack begins again, all traces of his behaviour only moments ago now completely gone. "It's actually more like a chocobo crest."_

"_What is?" Angeal can be heard asking, as they start to make their way out of the office door._

"_Spiky's hair of course."_

"_A chocobo?"_

_The tone is incredulous and unbelieving, it matches Sephiroth's own feelings exactly._

_A loud and heart-felt burst of laughter escapes Zack as he follows the commander out of the room, his voice breathy and filled with delight as he continues to talk, _

"_Yep, a bright golden chocobo, a chocobo chick that is."_

_H__is continuing words are cut off as the door closes firmly behind them only to leave shadows in the places where they once stood and a man sitting alone in a darkened and empty office._

With this thought in mind it's not hard for Sephiroth to easily place a name to the curled up form at his feet, the young boys hair being just as distinctive as Zack described and leaving him with no doubt as to the cadet's identity. The question now however was not who he was, but why he was here and what was wrong with him. The saddening sight of someone looking so defeated affecting the general in two ways. The first was annoyance; a sense of frustration leaking through his pours at witnessing what he'd always been told was unacceptable behaviour. The other was concern, not just for the blonde himself but for how it would affect Zack. He knew that the soldier was currently the boys mentor and that, from what Angeal had hinted at, there may be more to it. He'd also heard the rumours going around the base and though he paid little head to them or the truth of them, it didn't mean that the blonde was any less special to the young soldier. This in effect meant that if this boy, this 'Spiky' if he recalled correctly, was hurt then Zack would be too. And that was unacceptable.

In a moment of clarity that could almost be considered as divine intervention Sephiroth bent down and scooped the young blonde up and into his arms, carefully adjusting his hold beneath the cadet's knees and around his back until he was safely tucked up against his chest and away from any further harm. He them began to make his way down the empty corridor, his heightened senses observing every sight and sound to make sure that neither himself nor the boy would be noticed and as a result suffer at the hand of more social gossip due to his current actions.

It was blind instinct that once again led his actions, something for which Sephiroth had really never paid that much attention before. He understood the concept of muscle memory, realised that when he fought there was a sense of ingrained reaction to his fighting style, but here in this moment he understood that something more was happening. It felt almost natural for him to seek shelter for the blonde, a never before experienced need to protect something precious which led him down a familiar corridor and towards a sort of sanctuary in this hell hole, a place where only Angeal, Genesis and himself had a key for those 'just in case' situations when refuge and a quick escape were needed.

Carefully Sephiroth balanced the trembling boy in his arms and fished a key card from his pocket, once again mentally sending a prayer of thanks to whoever was listening for giving them the idea to create this safe haven away from preying eyes and in turn making this opportunity possible. After all, there was no way he could have taken the cadet back to his place, not like this, not with the boy in such a state. But here, in this private and unofficially assigned apartment, they were hidden away from the rest of the world and temporarily sheltered from the harsh demands of everyday life. Something, which the upset blonde in his arms was clearly in desperate need of.

Gently lying the shivering bundle on the couch Sephiroth stepped back and looked down at the quietly sobbing cadet, the young man so caught up in his misery that he hadn't even noticed they were no longer in the corridor or that the general himself had been the one to move him. Taking a blanket from off the back of the nearest armchair, Sephiroth slowly lowered it over the huddled up form and spread it out to cover as much of the blonde as he could, his touch being as light and kind as he could manage given his lack of experience with such things. It was therefore quite a surprise when a wet and heart-achingly, tear-filled voice could be heard from beneath the thick blanket, the softly spoken words continuing to echo loudly throughout the general's mind long after the cadet himself had drifted off into an exhaustion induced sleep.

"Thank you."

XXX

It was a couple of hours later that Cloud began to stir, his tired blue eyes blinking slowly in the dim light as he tried to take in his surroundings and work out what it was about them that felt wrong. Slowly his sense of sight took in the thick curtains which had been pulled across the windows to cut out as much of the midday sun as possible, the effect being almost perfect save for the small gap which had been intentionally made so he wasn't left in complete darkness. Pale pink lips curled up at the edges as a sleepy mind registered this piece of information and decided that it liked it, that it was happy someone had cared so much as to do that for him. It was a good feeling for so many reasons.

The next sense which happily came alive was that of touch, his small hands instinctively pulling the warm fluffy blanket which had been draped over his shoulders even more tightly around himself as he fought with whether to go back to sleep or not. The ridiculously soft surface he was lying on making it all that more difficult to ignore the sandman's pull as he sunk even further into the dream like cushions currently supporting him. In fact, if it hadn't been for the wondrous scent that his nose was now picking up he might have just done so, his foggy uncertain thoughts about waking fully quickly clearing away as the delightful aroma of chicken noodle soup filled the air around him.

"You're awake. That's good. Now I won't have to worry about disturbing you."

Cloud blinked owlishly for a moment trying to process not only what he'd heard, but the voice it had been spoken with. His fluffy thought processes kicking swiftly into gear and instantly putting a face to that voice, one that Cloud had only heard once on his induction day but knew he'd never forget in a million years.

Sephiroth couldn't help but smile, if only just a little bit, as those dazed sapphire orbs went wide and shocked clarity shown brightly within them. He managed to scold his features once more just as those startlingly blue gems snapped over in his direction and unspoken questions poured from their ocean coloured depths. Gaia, had those eyes been that magnificent earlier and why hadn't he noticed? Oh yes, he hadn't looked, that's why.

"Sir?"

The word has been spoken as both a sign of respect to his authority, but also as question that asked so much within it. Yet, it wasn't either of these things which Sephiroth took notice of. Instead his mind was locked on the slightly breathless way it has been spoken, the way the cadet's delicate features were now flushed a warm shade of pink as he began to realise that this was not a normal situation for them to be meeting in, if they were ever to meet at all.

"When you ran into me earlier, it appeared as if you needed somewhere to … escape to."

Those azure spheres blinked in confusion for a minute, the words taking a few seconds to sink in and be processed accordingly. Once again Sephiroth found himself fighting not to smile as understanding became apparent in even bigger cobalt coloured eyes. The rushed apology that tumbled uncontrollably from stuttering lips was not unexpected, nor was the heated blush which darkened already rose-petal, red features. What did catch the general by surprise however, was the surge of emotion which was suddenly felt within himself as those flustered words were stammered out determinedly by the young blonde.

"It's quite alright." Sephiroth interrupted, his smooth voice effectively silencing the boy. "I am as much at fault for what happened."

If it was possible to choke on air then the general would have thought the cadet was in danger of suffocating, the startled squeaking sound which escaped the blonde unexpectedly pulling at something buried deep down inside Sephiroth's chest.

"But sir …"

"But nothing." Sephiroth cut in once more, his large frame already moving away to fetch the lunch which he'd been preparing for them. "I was not looking where I was going, just as I imagine you were not, and so it seems only right that I should accept half the blame for what happened today."

With his back turned to the cadet as he spoke the general did not see how his words affected the poor blonde, didn't see how the young face scrunched up in both shame and humiliation at hearing his hero say such things. The truth was Cloud was more hurt by this disaster of an introduction between them than anything else which had happened to him recently, his heart already beaten and bruised by the last several days and now indescribably battered by the general's indirect dismissal of his very presence.

It didn't matter that he was in effect letting Cloud off the hook for running into him, that by accepting half the blame he was saving the blonde from the punishment which would have be awarded for injuring a senior officer. Not that he'd injured the general, because that would be impossible for someone as pathetic as him. Gaia what was he thinking. Really he should just be thankful the general hadn't kicked his scrawny worthless butt out the nearest door, or window considering the floor they'd been on, and that the man was willing to forgive him his clumsiness this one time.

The gentle clink of china on wood, quickly followed by the tinkle of a metal spoon against it, brought Cloud back from his internal berating. The single quirked silver eyebrow of the man now sat across from him silently asking the cadet what his thoughts had been and where they had taken him. But the blonde was unwilling to share even more of his miserable existence with such a great man and so remained quiet, his jaded eyes falling to the floor and showing without a word that he no longer had the strength to face the world around him.

Sephiroth watched patiently as the boy not only pulled away from him emotionally, but physically as well. He understood that this was a natural reaction for people sometimes, especially cadets. His very presence in their lives over the years having reduced many to either star-struck airheads, annoying giggling school girls, or blubbering piles of useless goo. It was why he tended to avoid the cadet barracks theses days, why he chose to observe their progress from behind one-way mirrors or through the company's surveillance systems. In most cases he didn't really have to do that much either, his main propriety being that of the soldier's under his command and trusting that the cadet's would be taken care of by the assigned personnel in charge of them, with the understanding that any and all problems would be reported to him if they arose. Although now, as he looked upon the socially recluse blonde before him, he had to wonder just how much he'd let slip through his fingers in taking such a huge step back in that area.

"You should try to eat something." He encouraged lightly, fully aware that he was keeping his voice even and free of emotion. "It will make you feel better."

Cloud couldn't decide if the general was genuinely worried about him or just being polite while he ate his own lunch. There was certainly no reason for him be troubled about the current state of a lowly cadet and, when he'd risked a quick glance in the great man's direction, that finely sculptured face had portrayed very little in the way of concern for him. Yet, here he was, possibly in Sephiroth's apartment no less and sprawled out on the man's sofa like he owned it while a bowl of what looked like homemade chicken noodle soup sat on the small table between them waiting for him to eat it.

Heat coursed through Cloud's veins as he realised just what a privileged position he was currently in, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as he finally acknowledge where he was, who's company he was in and how much the man had already done for him. He, a lowly insignificant little cadet that was so far beneath such a great man that the mud the general walked on had more right to be here than he did. But why?

Apparently his thoughts were either not his own in that moment in time, or he really was that easy to read, because there was no mistaking the way those mercury coloured orbs now watched him almost knowingly. It drove him to find his voice again, willed him to ask the one question which suddenly burnt white-hot within him, forced the words to pass over his trembling lips loud enough to be heard by the one they were intended for.

"Why … why would you … do this … for me?"

If Sephiroth had doubted, for even a moment, that the blonde was not being picked on in some way then those stumbling words had easily put it to rest. That insecure strength the boy was currently drawing on showing a glimmer of what lie beneath the endless layers of hurt caused by others. Again it was not something the general was familiar with on a personal level, but he'd not been Hojo's toy in the labs all these years and been blind to what the man did to others. He'd also seen it in his youth as a young soldier, had witnessed others teasing and taunting their peers until that person either left or took matters into their own hands.

He vaguely recalled briefly how some had tried it with him when he'd first started training, how his unique position had made him a target in those first few months for hazing. The only difference between him and the others was that he'd already suffered worse at the hands of his supposed carers as a child. That and he'd also had both Angeal and Genesis to stand up for him and together they had become an unmovable force that people quickly learnt to either fight alongside or avoid at all costs.

One look at the blonde before him though showed that the cadet didn't even have that to fall back on, that whatever troubles existed here for the boy were ones he faced alone. It was also painfully clear that the strife he endured on a day to day basis had only added itself to the things which already existed within him, the soul-weary look on such a young face meaning that the blonde was more than used to being made to suffer. So much so that he now questioned any act of kindness shown towards him.

Deciding that honesty was always the best policy in moments like these Sephiroth chose to reveal his true motivation for why he now acted so kindly towards the other, or at last let the blonde know some of the reasoning behind what had compelled him to do what he'd done.

"You are the cadet called 'Spiky'" He began, a rising of blonde eyebrows and widening of sky blue eyes showing the others shock at hearing his name being spoken. "Is that not correct?" He asked lightly, as a renewed dusting of pink coloured the young man's delicate features.

"I ... I guess, but … but it' not … I mean … umm.."

Intrigued the general set his half eaten meal down on the table and sat up a little straighter, his obvious interest in the blonde's responses making sapphire gems disappear behind closed eyelids as a silent prayer for strength was given voice within the cadet's mind.

"It's not what?" Sephiroth enquired calmly, his pulse racing notable as that delicate throat swallowed nervously and he unexpectedly found himself wanting to reach out and touch it to see if the skin was just as soft as he imaged it to be.

"Only Zack calls me that. Sir."

Typical puppy then, renaming things as he saw fit and making it even harder to work out what, or in this case who, he was talking about.

"I see."

Cloud didn't exactly flinch at the curt tone of that reply, but he definitely cringed in knowing that he'd been wrong to correct the general's mistake about his name. Damn Zack for his childish ways, and damn himself for even thinking of pointing out the error. So what if Sephiroth wanted to call him Spiky, it wasn't like he could stop the man, he…

Dawning realisation flooded Cloud's thoughts at the same time that the general spoke again, the rush of excitement he felt in that moment not only cutting off his train of thought but also making him both deaf and blind to anything the other might have said or done. General Sephiroth knew about him, knew enough to know his name, even if it wasn't the right one, but still he knew him and not just as a face in a folder. Somewhere along the way Sephiroth had heard his name and considered it important enough to remember, hell he had to have known more than just that to be able to put a face to the nickname which meant Cloud was a somebody after all. A somebody that the mighty General of the whole Shinra army had taken the time to look after and make chicken noodle soup for.

"Are you alright … cadet?"

Cloud blinked rapidly, his head coming back up to look at Sephiroth once more and meet what could only be described as confused and clearly concerned pools of silver.

"I'm good sir. Great, actually."

And he was. Oh Gaia how true those words were. Never in his life had he thought for a single moment that he'd feel like this, both stupidly nervous and anxiously excited all at once. It was terrifying and thrilling all in one go.

Sephiroth couldn't help but smile a little at the radiant expression of joy on the young blonde's face, the cadet's own shy smile now impossible to miss as it lit his angelic features and made them glow brightly. And something deep inside Sephiroth stirred at that, at knowing he had been the one to put that smile there. His heart fluttering within his chest as a feeling of warmth began to spread throughout him, one which until now had been solely reserved for days when Zack would be present in his life.

"I'm glad to hear that." The general reassured him, that wondrous smile lifting even more at his words. "But, as I was saying before, it would be helpful to know your name. Your real name that is."

"Oh, I'm sorry sir." Gaia, could the boy look any more adorable with that dainty blush on his fair cheeks? "It's Cloud sir, Cloud Strife."

The first thought which went through the general's mind was that the name suited him, in both parts of its making. Indeed the boy was something special, a unique and incomparable being and much more suited to flying amongst the heavens then suffering down here on a mortal mans plan of existence. His last name also seemed to fit him, though this part in fact bothered the general greatly, as the boy was clearly surrounded by trouble and strife as his name suggested.

The next 'light bulb moment' as Zack would have called it was when he realised that Cloud had called him sir for the third time in a row and that it was not something he was happy with, not at all.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Cloud and as you already know, my name is Sephiroth." Big blue eyes grew even wider, the ocean coloured orbs becoming the size of dinner plates as he continued to speak. "I know that this may seem a little unorthodox, especially considering our different ranks, but taking into account our current circumstances I believe I would prefer it if we used first names for the time being."

"Si … Sir?"

The stutter was cute, really it was, and for the general to be acknowledging this as a fact was something almost historical in itself.

"It's Sephiroth, remember?"

Wondrous golden strands of hair swayed wildly in front of him as a head of blonde spikes bobbed in quick agreement to what had been said, the sun having moved across the sky so that it now streamed in through the small gap in the curtains and fell directly on that extraordinary head of shimmering yellow and made it glow as if it were a halo perched on his dainty head. Or, as Sephiroth reflected back on the memory which had struck him earlier that day, much like the soft, fluffy crest of a baby golden chocobo.

It was at that precise moment in time that the general's phone rang, the shrill tone shattering the comfortable silence which had settled between them and making both jump in surprise.

Unable to contain his euphoric emotions at what had turned out to be one of the most wonderful days of his life Cloud couldn't help but giggle softly at their combined reaction, his effort to conceal it behind his hand doing very little to hide it but at least letting Sephiroth know that he wasn't deliberately being rude.

In response the general could only sigh in a way which was becoming all to familiar when dealing with the person who was now calling, his eyes rolling playfully for the cadet and surprising even himself as he accepted the call and began to speak.

"Hello Zachary."

"Oh come on." The expected response was given and the familiar whine was almost comforting as it vibrated down the phone line. "You know I hate it when you call me that."

"Indeed I do."

A faint huff could be heard before an accepting sigh followed it, the puppy's good nature not allowing him to be cross for long or hold it against the general for any real period of time.

"Angeal said that you were looking after Spiky while Reno and I were eeerr … taking care of some stuff."

This time Sephiroth simply closed his eyes and drew in a quite steadying breath before replying, knowing that if he rolled his eyes one more time in front of the cadet he would be revealing even more of himself to the young man.

In truth, maybe it was already too late to pretend that Cloud didn't mean something to him, his words and actions in the past several hours already being more than any other person would have been gifted with. He couldn't let it go beyond what they had now though, wouldn't risk everything just to hold the boy and find out if there might be a chance for more between them. It was enough that the cadet was comfortable in his presence, something which was necessary if he also wished to keep Zack in his life, and perhaps add another's presence to his limited social circle.

It was enough for now, more than enough.

It would have to be enough.

"No, there is no one here by that name. I do have a cadet answering to the name of Cloud here with me though."

He was thankful his tone was once again even, though apparently his expression wasn't completely schooled if the flicker of amusement in sky blue eyes across from him was anything to go by.

"Spiky, Cloud, same difference." Zack replied absently, the relief in his voice letting the general know there had been a moment of panic in the young soldier which he was quickly trying to cover up. "Is my little chocobo ok?"

Sephiroth couldn't help it, he smiled. His lips curving upward by only the slightest of margins as a result of Zack's words, but obviously still being enough for someone else to see. He couldn't help but smile a little more as Cloud's head tipped slightly to one side and he took on an adorably cute confused look, much like a chocobo chick would do. Those big blue eyes silently asking what was so amusing without having to actually say a thing.

Unable to resist the temptation the general answered both of their questions in one go, the responses he got from the pair being equally amusing in their own way.

"You're little chocobo is fine. He's right here if you would like to speak with him."

With Cloud it was a like watching snowflakes fall as his face portrayed every single emotion that flowed through him, each one being unique and easily identifiable for its difference from the others. Shock, horror, embarrassment, shyness, a touch of fondness and then what seemed to be annoyance. Something which the general knew was not aimed at him but Gaia forgive him if it was wrong to find that look delightful, the intensity which now existed within ocean coloured orbs showing so much more of the strong spirit he'd seen earlier and would very much like to see again and again and again.

Zack on the other hand was openly gasping into the phone, his stuttered breathes and choked words instantly revealing that he hadn't intended for Cloud to hear him say such a thing to the general and could easily guess how the blonde was reacting.

It took a minute for the young soldier to collect himself and then a surprisingly sheepish voice was heard asking "Did he hear you?"

"I believe so."

"Uuuuummmm. Does he look kind of mad?"

"I believe so."

At this repetition of his previous response Cloud quirked his head once more in that all too endearing questioning way and for a change Sephiroth was treated to the experience of a genuinely one-sided conversation, the kind that non-enhanced people were exposed to all the time and their confused looks only reinforcing the notion that they had no idea what the other persons on the phone was saying. It was actually quite refreshing in its own amusing way.

"Is there any chance he's going to want to talk to me some time this year, or should I just start apologising now and hope he forgives me by Christmas?"

Once again the general was forced to hide a smirk from his companion, as well as an unexpected chuckle which rose up within him. A deliberate and well timed cough easily disguising the feint tickle of laughter as a clearing of his throat before he spoke again.

"Once he has finished eating, I will escort him back to your place and leave that for you to decide."

"Thanks Seph. I appreciate it."

Knowing that the young soldier had deliberately used the abbreviated version of his name as payback for the earlier use of Zachary, Sephiroth didn't even bother wasting breath to chastise the raven haired teen. Instead he simply hung up without another word and took pleasure in the knowledge that nothing he could say or do in that moment would even come close to the hell Cloud was apparently saving up for Zack once they got there. And so, with a meaningful cough and a gentle nod of his head towards the cadet's own food, he once again lifted up his bowl of soup and began to eat. A small smile playing along his lips as the blonde eagerly tucked into the meal which had been prepared and happily ate in his company without the need for constant conversation or pointless discussions.

As it turned out the walk back to the soldier's apartment was also quite enjoyable, the young man's presence unexpectedly continuing to be a pleasant experience and something the general hoped he would be lucky enough to have again some day. In truth it had been quite refreshing and, dare he say it, nice to be able to walk alongside someone and not feel the need to speak with them. The silence which had surrounded the pair as they moved through the compound being strangely comfortable and in some ways very calming in comparison to the normal company he kept with others. Dropping the cadet off had been notably painful, or at least caused an uncomfortable sensation to form within his heart after they'd said their goodbyes. The promise of meeting again one day soon being like a soothing balm over the unwelcome ache as he walked away.

XXX

The rest of the week passed by without incident for Cloud and the world seemed to go back to normal, the usual routines once again being picked up and carried on as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. That of course wasn't true, the events which had taken place that Monday being ones the blonde knew he'd never forget.

It would have been so easy to believe that he'd still been under the influence of the drug-laced brownies whenever he recalled spending a day with Sephiroth, the fact that he'd slept through most of it and not really done anything too crazy only helping to reinforce the idea that it hadn't been a chemically induced dream. After all, if you were going to have delusions and fantasise about spending a day with the general you would definitely do a little bit more than just sleep on the man's sofa.

Of course it also helped knowing why you had been the only person to try and go to class that day, as well as understand the reason behind all the other cadet's not showing up. An entertaining turn of events which only now, four days later, and with no repercussions from the other cadets, could Cloud fully appreciate what his lovers had done for him. Apparently the 'special cadet breakfast' that morning had been laced with its own version of inappropriate substances, nothing toxic or life threatening as Zack has reassured him. Reno's all too happy grin only confirming the worst when Angeal had been forced to intervene when the health inspectors were called in over concerns about food poisoning in the cadet cafeteria.

Needless to say bad bacteria was not to blame in any way, a sure sign of this being how well the local pharmacy's did that day with sales on laxatives. Most memorably of all however was that, for the first time in recorded history, the cleaning staff went on temporary strike until everything had been cleared up. Because, apparently, they were not paid enough to clean up that much shit.

What topped it off for Cloud though was not the guilty pleasure he got from knowing that the other s had suffered in some way for what they'd done to him, nor that they couldn't blame him for what had happened as he'd already been horribly sick that weekend and to accuse him of anything other than food posing as well would only lead to questions that they really didn't want to have to answer.

What made the blonde's week that much more special was the little box he found in his locker on Friday evening after training with Zack, the raven haired soldier beside him having no clue as to who had put the carefully wrapped item there and staring at it with genuine curiosity shown on his handsome face.

Knowing that there were very few people in his life that would give him a present Cloud opened the box with a certain amount of apprehension, his hands visibly shaking as he lifted the lid off and looked inside. There, resting delicately on a small bed of white tissue was a rich, milk chocolate brownie, the kind that had big thick chunks of creamy chocolate added into the soft crumbly textured cake mix they had been backed in.

He'd almost thrown it away, almost. The sight alone making him feel unsettled as if once again someone was playing a cruel joke on him. Then Zack had seen the small card still resting on the shelf where the box had been, his normally calm violet eyes tinged a little with a shimmer of mako green as he opened it to see who had dared to upset his Spiky again.

It was the widening of those violet eyes which had done it for Cloud, the beautiful amethyst orbs growing to the size of saucers as the words were revealed and the sentiment behind them was read aloud for Cloud to hear.

"_In hopes of replacing a bad memory with another more enjoyable one_."

"But, from who?" The blonde cadet stammered, his hands trembling even more as he quickly plucked the card from between sword calloused fingers and read it for himself.

"There's no name, but I'm pretty sure I recognise the handwriting." Zack offered lightly, his voice only holding a slight hint of teasing as he held a semi-serious expression on his smiling face.

"Who?"

The word was barley a whisper as it was spoken, the cadet's uncertainty in asking clear for the soldier to see even as the question was given a voice.

"Sephiroth." Was breathed back just as quietly, almost as if it was being said with reverence and awe at what the general had secretly done.

That evening Cloud ate his brownie and swore to Gaia that it was the best chocolate brownie he'd ever had, except his mum's of course. No one could beat those. His thoughts swirling over how the general had obviously found out about the horrible experience he'd been through and then, surprisingly, taken the time to make up for it in some way.

It was therefore understandable why, as Cloud slept peacefully between his boyfriends that night, that he unknowingly dreamt of another. His slim arms never once letting go as he held both his red and raven haired lovers' bodies close, even as his heart secretly imagined what it might be like to add a little bit of silver to the mix.


End file.
